Trophy Nation: How handing out trophies, regardless of success, may cause failure.

[TheRed]

 

It would take a left winged extremist nut who saw the OPs shot at our society's brief and passing  obsession with political correctness as, by extension, a shot at liberalism itself to argue that competitiveness (and war) in our society and our history has resulted in anything but the most incredible and marvelous technological advancements mankind has ever put forth

 

wnat a train wreck of a society, discovering new continents, building machines that can do the impossible and visiting other celestial bodies

"yeah but growl they still wave flags and stuff uggh" *drinks coffee* *wears glasses indoors* *puts on Coldplay* 

 

 

 

Seek therapy.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

what self-respecting millennial hipster still listens to coldplay

also i will never pass up an opportunity to post this comic

[Snake]

For the hatred of the machine, some have really really really benefited from it. Some should go shadow HR for a few months and do job interviews. You will be able to tell by the 14th uhh in the interview if they are use to getting trophies just for showing up. I know several millennials that fold like lawn chairs at either the first sign of adversity or when the group doesn't run with thier idea to the bank. Character doesn't come from the trophy to everyone approach. Some perks or rewards for some accomplishments is cool. But we have seen the bad side of the everyone's a winner self esteem sham. I mean we get pie for making comments.

I'm still firm believer in negative pie. 

[frash.exe]

 

[Growl]

Seek therapy.

aw man you forgot to play your race card this time

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

 

pstall was a strapping young man

[PanthersBigD]

I'm almost 40, and my little league teams always gave participation trophies, but made a bigger deal out of superlative trophies. Everyone wanted to be the best hitter of the 1984 season or most RBI's or whatever. You got acknowledged for participating because you came and put in work just like everyone else on the team. If your performance stood out, it got acknowledged as such. 

I think participation trophies are fine, but extra effort/performance should be acknowledged. Most of the people I see bitching about 'the pussyfication of the next generation' are most often miserable fugs who are living too vicariously through their children, trying to fill some void from their own childhood. 

[firstdayfan]

I guess the bigger philosophical question here is if giving away trophies to only the winners of children's sports actually damaged our generation.  For instance, creating a generation of people who would think giving out too many trophies make children "pansies".

It amuses me when people just assume that because something was done in the past that it has to be right, especially when so many other things prove otherwise.

 

[pantherphan96]

i dont see a problem with participation trophies for kids younger than 10-11 or so. after that, only winners should receive trophies and only kids who are interested in continuing further into whatever sport they are playing should play.

[lightsout]

I played sports starting at 5 years old. I didn't get a participation trophy until middle school. I hated it. My mom still has all my trophies in a box somewhere, I'm sure, but I know that that one participation trophy isn't in there. It got chucked as soon as I left the banquet. We won 2 games all year.

I'm a firm believer in teaching the importance of losing. Sure, don't make them feel like their effort is for nothing whenever they lose, but emphasize the importance of overcoming adversity, of bouncing back, of training harder, of maintaining better focus, etc. And, a tactic that always resonated with me (particularly in high school, as my high school football coach was amazing), be the first person you place blame on. Don't guilt the kids with it, but say something to the effect of "well, guys, we gotta do better. I didn't do enough to prepare you before this game, and I'm going to do better with that. I'm going to do my best to put you in a position to win." Leading by example. Some kids won't get it, but some will. Seeing their adult leader admitting their failure, even if they didn't, will fuel certain kids to strive for success just a bit harder on top of making them look at themselves and their own failures and accepting them. This is important for adult life, as most of us should know by now.

Subtlety is the key to teaching sometimes.

I say trophies are stupid outside of the big prize, like a championship or superlative trophy. I DO think something should be done for participating. Have a big pizza party with games and stuff. Do something that isn't about the competition, but the fraternity for being an athlete. Reward the participation with something like that.

[SIGCHI222]

I played sports starting at 5 years old. I didn't get a participation trophy until middle school. I hated it. My mom still has all my trophies in a box somewhere, I'm sure, but I know that that one participation trophy isn't in there. It got chucked as soon as I left the banquet. We won 2 games all year.

I'm a firm believer in teaching the importance of losing. Sure, don't make them feel like their effort is for nothing whenever they lose, but emphasize the importance of overcoming adversity, of bouncing back, of training harder, of maintaining better focus, etc. And, a tactic that always resonated with me (particularly in high school, as my high school football coach was amazing), be the first person you place blame on. Don't guilt the kids with it, but say something to the effect of "well, guys, we gotta do better. I didn't do enough to prepare you before this game, and I'm going to do better with that. I'm going to do my best to put you in a position to win." Leading by example. Some kids won't get it, but some will. Seeing their adult leader admitting their failure, even if they didn't, will fuel certain kids to strive for success just a bit harder on top of making them look at themselves and their own failures and accepting them. This is important for adult life, as most of us should know by now.

Subtlety is the key to teaching sometimes.

I say trophies are stupid outside of the big prize, like a championship or superlative trophy. I DO think something should be done for participating. Have a big pizza party with games and stuff. Do something that isn't about the competition, but the fraternity for being an athlete. Reward the participation with something like that.

I thought you had forgot how to huddle.

[csx]

If this were true the trophy stores would still be in business.

The only trophy seen in ages are for bowling leagues and fantasy football.

 

The pusification begins and ends with people who look for things to complain about online as a hobby.

[pstall]

pstall was a strapping young man

Per class sounds right. Sorry my assessment hit you in your bunghole. Go back to your binge watching of Road Rules 17.

[Hawk]

oh the irony....panther fans discussing the issue of handing out trophies!!!!!

 

 

that said, the only trophy I ever won was in high school, MVP of the basketball team.  The trophy was about 4 feet tall....I gave up trying after that!